Since the Snowbirds' first show in July 1971, there have been several incidents involving damage to airplanes, loss of airplanes, and loss of life. Below is a list of notable incidents only. There are other incidents, some involving loss of aircraft, that are not listed below.
DateLocationReasonCasualtiesDamage
10 June 1972 CFB Trenton, Ontario wingtip collision 1 fatality plane crashed
14 July 1973 Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan bird strike caused engine stall back injuries plane crashed
16 July 1977 Paine Field, Washington collision during formation change none 2 planes crashed
3 May 1978 Grande Prairie, Alberta horizontal stabilizer failed 1 fatality plane crashed
17 June 1986 Carmichael, Saskatchewan mid-air collision minor injuries plane crashed
3 September 1989 Toronto, Ontario midair collision 1 fatality 2 planes crashed
26 February 1991 Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan crashed during flight no serious injuries plane crashed
14 August 1992 Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan failed engine bearing none plane crashed
22 October 1992 Bagotville, Quebec midair collision none 2 planes crashed
21 March 1994 Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan engine failure minor injuries plane crash
24 September 1995 Point Mugu, California 3 planes collision with birds none planes damaged
7 June 1997 Glens Falls, New York touched wings none planes damaged
10 December 1998 Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan mid-air collision 1 fatality plane crashed
27 February 1999 Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan nose gear collapsed on landing none plane damage
4 September 2000 Toronto, Ontario planes touched none plane damage
10 April 2001 Comox, British Columbia nose & wing landing gear failed none plane damage
21 June 2001 near London, Ontario mid-air collision serious injuries [23] plane crashed
10 December 2004 Mossbank, Saskatchewan mid-air collision 1 fatality 2 planes crashed
24 August 2005 near Thunder Bay, Ontario engine failure minor injuries plane crashed
18 May 2007 near Great Falls, Montana restraining strap malfunction 1 fatality plane crashed
9 October 2008 near Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan pilot error 2 fatalities plane crashed
1 March 2011 Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan landed with gear up none plane damage
13 October 2019 Brooks, Georgia not yet known[24][25] minor injuries plane crashed
17 May 2020 Kamloops, British Columbia not yet known 1 fatality, 1 injured[26] plane crashed
FatalitiesEdit
Snowbird aircraft have been involved in several accidents, resulting in the deaths of seven pilots and two passengers and the loss of several aircraft. One pilot, Captain Wes Mackay, was killed in a automobile accident after a performance in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, in 1988.[27] The RCAF commented: "... there is risk associated with formation flying. Flying by its very nature has an inherent element of risk. Eight Snowbird pilots have lost their lives in the performance of their duty. We remember them."[28]
10 June 1972: Solo Captain Lloyd Waterer died after a wingtip collision with the other solo aircraft while performing an opposing solo manoeuvre at the Trenton Air Show at CFB Trenton, Ontario.[29]
3 May 1978: Captain Gordon de Jong died at an air show in Grande Prairie, Alberta. The horizontal stabilizer failed, rendering the aircraft uncontrollable. Although pilot ejection was initiated, it was not successful.[30]
3 September 1989: Captain Shane Antaya died after a midair collision during a demonstration at the Canadian International Air Show during the CNE in Toronto, Ontario, when his Tutor crashed into Lake Ontario. During the same accident, team commander Major Dan Dempsey safely ejected from his aircraft.[31]
10 December 1998: Captain Michael VandenBos died in a midair collision during training near Moose Jaw.[32]
10 December 2004: Captain Miles Selby died in a midair collision during training near Mossbank, Saskatchewan, while practising the co-loop manoeuvre. The other pilot, Captain Chuck Mallett, was thrown from his destroyed aircraft while still strapped into his seat. While tumbling towards the ground, he was able to unstrap, deploy his parachute and land with only minor injuries.[33]
18 May 2007: Snowbird 2, Captain Shawn McCaughey fatally crashed during practice at Malmstrom Air Force Base near Great Falls, Montana, due to a restraining strap malfunction.[34]
9 October 2008: A Snowbird Tutor piloted by newly recruited team member Captain Bryan Mitchell with military photographer Sergeant Charles Senecal crashed, killing both, near the Snowbirds' home base of 15 Wing Moose Jaw while on a non-exhibition flight.[35][36]
17 May 2020: A Snowbird Tutor crashed in Kamloops, British Columbia, during a cross-country tour called "Operation Inspiration", intended to "salute Canadians doing their part to fight the spread of COVID-19."[37][38] Unit public affairs officer, Captain Jennifer Casey, died. The pilot, Captain Richard MacDougall, sustained serious injuries.[39][26]
Aircraft replacementEdit
Due to the age of the Tutors (developed in the 1950s, first flown in 1960, and accepted by the RCAF in 1963[40][41]), a 2003 Department of National Defence study recommended that the procurement process to replace the aircraft should begin immediately so the aircraft could be retired by 2010 because of obsolescence issues that would affect the aircraft’s viability.[42] Some concerns include outdated ejection seats and antiquated avionics.[43][44] There has also been criticism about the aircraft not being representative of a modern air force.[44] A 2008 review recommended that the Tutors' life could be extended to 2020 because of cost concerns related to purchasing new aircraft.[45] A 2015 report called "CT-114 Life Extension Beyond 2020", outlined planned upgrades to extend the life of the Tutor beyond 2020. These planned upgrades included replacing the ejection seats and wing components, and updating the brakes.[46] A further initiative to extend the life of the aircraft from 2020 to 2030 has been implemented by the RCAF. An April 2018 RCAF document mentioned that until a decision is made on replacement, the Snowbird Tutors will receive modernized avionics to comply with regulations. The new avionics will permit the team to continue flying in North America and allow the Tutors to fly until 2030. Upgrading work will begin in 2022.[45]
Notwithstanding any upgrades, the Government of Canada plans to replace the Tutors with new aircraft between 2026 and 2035, with a preliminary estimated cost of $500 million to $1.5 billion. Official sources were quoted: "The chosen platform must be configurable to the 431 (AD) Squadron standard, including a smoke system, luggage capability and a unique paint scheme. The platform must also be interchangeable with the training fleet to ensure the hard demands of show performances can be distributed throughout the aircraft fleet." [47] The objective of the Snowbird Aircraft Replacement Project is "to satisfy the operational requirement to provide the mandated Government of Canada aerobatic air demonstration capability to Canadian and North American audiences."[47]
ReferencesEdit
NotesEdit
^ Government of Canada, National Defence, Royal Canadian Air Force. "Members – Snowbirds – Demo Teams". www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
^ a b c Dempsey 2002, p. 567.
^ Dempsey 2002, p. 718.
^ Canadian Armed Forces (29 July 2019). "CT-114 Tutor". www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 24 May 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
^ Canadian Armed Forces (13 October 2019). "CT1140071 Tutor - From the investigator". rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 24 May 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
^ Canadian Armed Forces (17 May 2020). "One Canadian Military Member Killed One Injured in CF Snowbirds Accident". rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 24 May 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
^ Dempsey 2002, p. 659.
^ "Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation." Archived 2009-08-23 at the Wayback Machine rafweb.org. Retrieved: 20 May 2011.
^ Dempsey 2002, p. 95.
^ "Snowbirds – Full History." Archived 2013-05-22 at the Wayback Machine RCAF. Retrieved: 15 March 2013.
^ "Snowbirds safety incident a factor behind air show cancellations". The Star, 18 May 2017 Retrieved: August 28, 2017
^ "FAQ: Snowbirds." Government of Canada, Royal Canadian Air Force, Retrieved: 4 September 2017
^ Dempsey 2002, p. 643.
^ "FAQ: Snowbirds." Government of Canada, Royal Canadian Air Force, 20 July 2015. Retrieved: 12 August 2015.
^ Dempsey 2002, p. 540.
^ Dempsey 2002, p. 538
^ Dempsey 2002, p. 545.
^ Dempsey 2002, p. 552.
^ Dempsey 2002, p. 597.
^ Dempsey 2002, pp. 605, 606.
^ Dempsey 2002, p. 615.
^ Ewing-Weisz (2012).
^ [1] CBC News, 26 June 2001. Retrieved: 17 may 2020.
^ "Global News Story." Global News, 27 November 2019. Retrieved: 17 May 2020.
^ "Global News Story." Global News, 5 December 2019. Retrieved: 17 May 2020.
^ a b Ross, Andrea (16 May 2020). "Canadian Forces Snowbirds jet crashes in Kamloops, B.C., killing 1, injuring another". CBC News. Archived from the original on 18 May 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
^ "Car Crash Kills Canadian Pilot, Injures Two Others" (Press release). AP News. 25 October 1988. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
^ "Snowbirds – Tributes." Royal Canadian Air Force, Government of Canada, 9 February 2015. Retrieved: 12 August 2015.
^ Dempsey 2002, p. 546.
^ Dempsey 2002, p. 569.
^ Dempsey 2002, p. 602.
^ "Snowbird crash, December 10, 1998 – investigation update." Archived June 9, 2011, at the Wayback Machine airforce.forces.gc.ca, 7 June 2010. Retrieved: 16 June 2010.
^ "Canadian Forces Flight Safety Report: CT114173 / CT114064 Tutor". airforce.forces.gc.ca. 10 December 2004. Archived from the original on 10 August 2018. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
^ "Canadian Forces Flight Safety Report: CT114159 Tutor." airforce.forces.gc.ca, 18 May 2007. Retrieved: 17 March 2014.
^ "CBC News Story." CBC, 10 October 2008. Retrieved: 13 October 2008.
^ "Canadian Forces Flight Safety Report." airforce.forces.gc.ca. Retrieved: 7 January 2017.
^ Kelly, Alanna (17 May 2020). "Snowbirds plane crashes near Kamloops, B.C." CTV News. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
^ "Canadian Forces Snowbirds launch cross-Canada tour" (Press release). Royal Canadian Air Force. 29 April 2020. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
^ Petruk, Tim (17 May 2020). "With video: Snowbird jet crashes into Kamloops house". Kamloops This Week. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
^ Canadair CT-114 Tutor Retrieved 29 May 2020
^ Milberry 1984, p. 346.
^ Replace Snowbird Jets ‘Immediately,’ DND Told in 2003. The Globe and Mail. April 25, 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2020
^ Snowbirds were waiting for new ejection seats before deadly crash. Now DND won’t say if gear was replaced. The Star. May 29, 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
^ a b Dempsey 2002, p. 694
^ a b Aircraft used by Snowbirds aerobatic team, on the go since 1963, will be kept flying until 2030. Saskatoon StarPhoenix. May 13, 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018
^ CT-114 Life Extension Beyond 2020 (archived). National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces. Retrieved 30 May 2020
^ a b "Snowbird Aircraft Replacement Project." Government of Canada, 12 August 2015. Retrieved: 12 March 2015.
BibliographyEdit
Dempsey, Daniel V. A Tradition of Excellence: Canada's Airshow Team Heritage. Victoria, British Columbia, Canada: High Flight Enterprises, 2002. ISBN 0-9687817-0-5.
Ewing-Weisz, Chris. "Lois Boyle was the ‘Mother of the Snowbirds’." The Globe and Mail, 17 January 2012, p. S8. Published online: 16 January 2012. Retrieved: 23 January 2012.
Fast, Beverley G. Snowbirds: Flying High, Canada's Snowbirds Celebrate 25 Years. Saskatoon, SK: Lapel Marketing & Associates Inc., 1995. ISBN 0969932707.
Milberry, Larry. Canada's Air Force At War And Peace, Volume 3. Toronto, ON: CANAV Books, 2000. ISBN 0-921022-12-3.
Milberry, Larry, ed. Sixty Years—The RCAF and CF Air Command 1924–1984. Toronto: Canav Books, 1984. ISBN 0-9690703-4-9.
Mummery, Robert. Snowbirds: Canada's Ambassadors of the Sky. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: Reidmore Books, 1984. ISBN 0-919091-37-7.
Rycquart, Barbara. The Snowbirds Story. London, Ontario, Canada: Third Eye, 1987. ISBN 0-919581-41-2.
Sroka, Mike. Snowbirds: Behind The Scenes With Canada's Air Demonstration Team. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Fifth House Publishers, 2006. ISBN 1-894856-86-4.
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Snowbirds.
Canadian Forces Snowbirds (official site)
431 Squadron (Department of Defence – History and heritage)
Squadron history at Canadian Wings
Watch a 1980 NFB vignette on the Snowbirds